Traditionally, The Transat, the original solo race across the North Atlantic that was born as the OSTAR, has started from the iconic sea-faring port of Plymouth in the UK and finished in the USA.
For the first edition in 1960, it was New York then Newport, Rhode Island in the intervening years, before Boston became the arrival port in the last two editions in 2004 and 2008.
The next edition will start in its historical time slot in May 2016 from somewhere in the UK. Before then Start and Finish cities will be invited to put their case forward for hosting this event that is both steeped in history, and that helped create a sector of sailing that is now one of the major forces in the professional sport.
OC Sport renamed the race ‘The Transat’ in 2004, and added Artemis as Title Partner in 2008, focusing in that year on the IMOCA 60 Class, the boats that compete in the Vendée Globe in the same year.
The 2012 edition was deferred at the request of the Class.
With the next edition of The Transat planned for its traditional pre-Vendée Globe slot, consideration is now also being given to the classes that could be invited to compete.
The history of this race has many different types of yachts from monohull to multihull – from the tiny 25-foot Jester in 1960 to the gigantic 236ft Club Mediterranée in 1976.
The 2016 competitors will follow the race’s traditional tough North Atlantic course from the UK to North America, facing the perils of storms, ice and dense fog over the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, all alone.